Wood and Horticultural Waste Recycling

In Singapore, 332,400 tonnes of wood waste and 252,600 tonnes of horticultural waste was generated in 2013. The recycling rate is 77% for wood waste and 48% for horticultural waste.

Wood and horticultural waste are usually processed into wood chips for composting, cogeneration or used to make new wood products. Used wood pallets and crates can also be reconditioned.

Let’s take a closer look at wood and horticultural waste recycling:

Wood and Horticultural Waste Recycling in Singapore

Wood waste include pallets, crates, boxes, furniture and wood planks used in construction. Horticultural waste refers to tree trunks and branches, plant parts and trimmings generated during the maintenance and pruning of trees and plants all over Singapore.

Used wooden pallets and crates are usually sent to the recycling companies for repair and reconditioning. The pallets and crates are dismantled and the wood parts are cut to size and fixed back to form new pallets and crates.

Wood and horticultural waste are also sent to recycling companies to be grinded into wood chips. These wood chips can be used for composting, where they are piled together and turned frequently. After a few months, the wood chips would be broken down by microorganisms into mulch or compost.

This video shows a typical grinder for producing wood chips:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4e0v86n_yI[/youtube]

The wood chips are also used by some recycling companies to make new wood products. The wood chips are mixed with binders and pressed together to produce pallets, doors and floorings.

Some recycling companies use the wood chips as a fuel in cogeneration plants to produce heat and power simultaneously, whereas other companies process the wood chips and recycle them into charcoal products.

Collectors, Traders and Recycling Companies for Wood and Horticultural Waste

Comments

Hi….if you want to convert the horticultural waste to nature’s super fertilizer, why not try vermi-composting? Process is quicker too and end product is richer than going thru the thermophilic process…. Can call me at HP9179-9463 as I provide vermicomposting bins and solutions to achieve this purpose…Kindly see below links for products..

Hi, I was wondering what would be the biggest component for the overall wood waste? I am currently working on wooden pallet recycling project and just was wondering whether wooden packaging (i.e. pallets, crates, etc.) would be one of the biggest contributor for the wood waste in Singapore.